The 80's "power craze" where lighter fluid down the transfer port was le rigour But so was sniffing glue.
Farmyard is more than a backyard. Backyard was for Cadet Majors.
I suspect some of the power thing was getting the .22 dustbin to get beyond 30m with a little less loop. Everyone bought .22 for vermin as few ever tried to go beyond farmyard ranges. With the new fangled Jap inexpensive scopes everyone could see the critters better
A big rifle like the 35 should have got right out there, but didn't quite....177 there wasn't enough oomph either.
Heck a Webley Vulcan MK1 had more whack on Dinky Toy tanks than an expensive 35.
So the wonderful hobby of tuning went ballistic to get better ballistics.
Then, 40 years ago, I just bought a FWB Sport, which was better